Mets face a pitching void. With top aces available, New York must seize this offseason to secure their crucial No. 1 starter.
The New York Mets need to have a huge bounce-back year in 2026 after how the end of last season played out. If last year was a failure because they missed the playoffs, two consecutive seasons without October baseball would be disastrous for a Mets team with the star power it has.
To boost their chances at a postseason run next fall, the Mets need starting pitching – and they need it badly. The collapse of New York’s rotation was the number one cause of the team falling out of the postseason race as the season rumbled into its final weeks.
Disappointing second halves of the season from Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Sean Manaea, and others stalled any and all momentum the Mets had earlier in the summer months. As it stands now, the Mets are without a true number one starter. As Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly claimed, the number one need for New York this winter is to find that true ace that fans can rely on every five games.
There are a few names available this offseason, whether that's via the trade market or free agency, that could prove to be the Mets' No. 1 guy. The first name that stands out is, of course, Tarik Skubal, who is coming off his second-straight Cy Young-winning campaign with the Detroit Tigers.
With the Tigers and Skubal reportedly far off from an extension, the ace could be on the move this winter. It’d take a huge amount from the Mets to pull off a deal to land the southpaw in Queens, but there’s no doubt he’d perfectly serve as the Mets' ace.
In the case where the Tigers demand too much for Skubal, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has multiple other options. Freddy Peralta has one more year left on his deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, making him and his 2.70 ERA a prime candidate to be dealt this winter. Other trade candidates include the Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan and the Miami Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara.
In free agency, the Mets could pursue a few names to be the ace they desperately need. Framber Valdez enters free agency coming off a 2025 campaign in which he posted a 3.66 ERA and threw two complete games in 31 starts. Another lefty, Ranger Suarez, could step into the ace role for the Mets in 2026. He posted a 3.20 ERA on his way to a 4.7 WAR in just 26 starts last season.
The Mets have different avenues available to them to find their true ace, but there are plenty for the taking. With the amount of money owner Steve Cohen has proven he’s willing to spend and the depth of assets available to them, the Mets are sure to make a splash this winter either in free agency or on the trade market.